What Are The Benefits To Being Licensed?

[Cat Herder]

To clarify, I am not licenses but I AM legal. Very different things

I think Blackcat was responding to the unregistered poster..not you, hun.

There are MANY great childcare providers that are legally unregistered. No judgement.

[dEHmom]

Lets see, you get to pay taxes..make sure you have at least 2 tax kids..You are subjected to surprise inspections that can last hours by the state. They will set the guidelines of your daycare, not you!

You can be written up for reeeally stupid stuff, and this gives parents more information and rights to report you versus non licensed. People who are nonlicensed who get reported, usually just get a letter in the mail and you fill it out and send it back. Usually thats it. Worst case senerio they drop a few if they are over, and pick them up later on.

When you're licensed many guidelines probably written by geeks who never really spent years working with children like most of us.

Your state is pretty generous, that would be about all the kids I would want myself; actually not even that many.

For the record, it's beneficial to claim your income. I'm not touching on the legality of it, because that's already been mentioned.

[Mrs. CC]

oh so sorry to have come off defensive. I wanted to make it clear to others that they are different things in my state. I am learning that other states require license so I would be "illegal" in that state but not in mine.

Again, I am sorry for sounding defensive, I didn't mean to!

[SilverSabre25]

oh so sorry to have come off defensive. I wanted to make it clear to others that they are different things in my state. I am learning that other states require license so I would be "illegal" in that state but not in mine.

Again, I am sorry for sounding defensive, I didn't mean to!

Don't worry! I'm in OH too and often find myself typing "I'm legally unlicensed" just because I don't want someone to think I'm operating "under the radar" because I'm not.

[themoorethemerrier]

I like how you two both said "hun" to her.

I'm in NYS. Legally exempt, I can care for as many of my own children and relatives (to the third sanguinity or whatever) as I want. Over that I can only have two until I have to become registered or licensed.

I'm in the process of getting licensed and I will almost double what I make I make now on the same two children!

I don't think a license changes anything for me with the food program.

As sick as this may be, I am happy to being going through the process of getting licensed. I have to take first aid/cpr courses, make safety plans, make sure my house is safer, etc. I feel it's actually holding me to a higher standard - since I started I feel I'm a better mother.

So for me, those are benefits.

[Springdaze]

I think it might be a deciding factor when new clients come, but sometimes a pain. I think they might have changed the rules in NJ about having to be "registered" and getting subsities, but as far as amount of kids you can have, you can have up to 5 regardless of whether you are registered or not. any more than 5 and you have to be a center. I was ok' to do that years ago, but didnt finish the process because as I was doing it, they made a law that all daycare centers had to have the ground tested and it cost 2000 dollars, besides I would have be licensed for 9 and would have needed an assistant and it wouldnt have been worth the cost.

[Blackcat31]

oh so sorry to have come off defensive. I wanted to make it clear to others that they are different things in my state. I am learning that other states require license so I would be "illegal" in that state but not in mine.

Again, I am sorry for sounding defensive, I didn't mean to!

I didn't think you were being defensive.... I was actually starting to get all riled up about the unregistered poster because as soon as someone starts making it sound as if they don't have to pay taxes or follow rules simply because they are unlicensed really irks me because I DO know there are many many quality providers out there who aren't licensed.

It is people like unregistered who don't pay taxes and do things under the table that give the ones who are LEGALLY UNLICENSED a bad rap sometimes and that is what got my feathers in a ruffle...

FWIW~ I wouldn't be licensed if I didn't HAVE to be.

[cheerfuldom]

I am not licensed, not required to be and no plans to ever be. I keep the number of kids that works for me and have never had a parent that had a problem with my unlicensed (but legal) status. I am well aware of what the licensing standards are though

[nannyde]

Food program, can have more kids, and a staff assistant. (Iowa)

[laundrymom]

In order for me to have the income I want, I must be licensed. I care for 10 in my home. Without a dedicated space.

[dEHmom]

sorry i'm sort of hijacking right now, I just got the call, I'm getting my license!

[Mrs. CC]

How do you make more money by being licensed? Can you tell I just don't know much about it? I am interested but just uncertain.

[Mrs. CC]

sorry i'm sort of hijacking right now, I just got the call, I'm getting my license!

Since it sounds crazy hard I send my congratulations!!!!!

[dEHmom]

Since it sounds crazy hard I send my congratulations!!!!!

haha, thanks.

And as for making money licensed....

I can't speak for everyone because every state/province is different. I'm in Canada so our regulations aren't the same as most that you see on here.

For me, the situations like this.

Because I can only have 4 kids (I have 3 of my own, so I can only have 1 full timer, and part timers when my kids are in school). So I can't make much money on that.

Most people want subsidized spots, which I can't offer unlicensed.

Being licensed I'll be able to take on 5 kids not including my own (8 in total). Even though licensed rates are way lower than what I charge now, the government more than makes up for that in quarterly grants.

Now I can offer subsidy which will help bring clients in, since most people here want subsidy.

The need for subsidy is so great here, that I will have people knocking down my door. They are so desperate for licensed daycares here, and it's always guaranteed to be full. I'll probably never be on an empty spot for more than a few days if that. There is wait lists of 2+ yrs for licensed daycares. And on my end of town, there is only 2 other daycares, and they are turning people away non stop because they are full. They shut down 7 daycares in the last few months, which is why they asked me to go licensed.

Basically, being licensed brings in much more income than you could make unlicensed because 1) more kids= more income, 2) grants

[Mrs. CC]

haha, thanks.

And as for making money licensed....

I can't speak for everyone because every state/province is different. I'm in Canada so our regulations aren't the same as most that you see on here.

For me, the situations like this.

Because I can only have 4 kids (I have 3 of my own, so I can only have 1 full timer, and part timers when my kids are in school). So I can't make much money on that.

Most people want subsidized spots, which I can't offer unlicensed.

Being licensed I'll be able to take on 5 kids not including my own (8 in total). Even though licensed rates are way lower than what I charge now, the government more than makes up for that in quarterly grants.

Now I can offer subsidy which will help bring clients in, since most people here want subsidy.

The need for subsidy is so great here, that I will have people knocking down my door. They are so desperate for licensed daycares here, and it's always guaranteed to be full. I'll probably never be on an empty spot for more than a few days if that. There is wait lists of 2+ yrs for licensed daycares. And on my end of town, there is only 2 other daycares, and they are turning people away non stop because they are full. They shut down 7 daycares in the last few months, which is why they asked me to go licensed.

Basically, being licensed brings in much more income than you could make unlicensed because 1) more kids= more income, 2) grants

WOW! I would be licensed too!! I have no idea what subsidy is here in Ohio, maybe I should look for the future. Hmmmm - thinking.